Centuries of following Jesus -- who is the Way, the Truth and the Life have provided the Church with a number of tried-and-true routes to our ultimate goal. This work provides an overview of this traditional Catholic spirituality which has been tested and proven in the crucible of the lives of the saints. Our spiritual life develops and grows in a way not unlike our physical, emotional and intellectual lives. Certain stages are common to all. Our spiritual life develops in three stages: the beginning, or purgative stage; the proficient, or illuminative stage; and the perfect, or unitive stage. Understanding this traditional Catholic spirituality will give the reader powerful insights into his or her personal pilgrimage.